Research Project
2 pages ONLY. Do NOT hand in more than 2 pages.
Should take 2 hours.
Draft due: December 2
Turn in Draft.
You may revise before
final due date for a better score.
FINAL Due date: December 11
Academic Research
Your Research Project
Directions: Imagine you have been asked by an instructor to prepare an eightpage research paper on a topic related to human psychology or health. Choose
your topic, making sure it is not too general or too narrow. Go to the library (in
person or via the Internet) and find:
2 books
2 articles (from magazines or newspapers. NOTE: 1 article MUST be
from the online databases available through our LAMC Library.
2 websites relevant to your specific topic
DO NOT WRITE A PAPER!!
Your assignment is to hand in 3 items:
1. A tentative thesis statement
2. A brief, tentative (but formal) outline of the imaginary paper
3. A Works Cited (MLA) or Reference (APA) page. To prepare the page you
must use either the MLA or APA guidelines found in a college handbook or on
online sites such as Diana Hacker’s Guide to MLA or APA
1.
Your REMEMBER!!
topic MUST be related to human
psychology or health.
You MUST have six (6) sources on your
Works Cited/Reference page
DO NOT WRITE A PAPER!!
You must hand in three (3) items:
thesis statement
outline of the imaginary
paper
Works Cited or Reference
page.
Thesis & Outline
EXAMPLE:
Your outlines does
not need to be in
complete sentences.
You may use phrases
for each point.
Works
Cited
EXAMPLE:
You must
have
2 books,
2 webpages,
and
2 articles
(one must
be from a
database).
Steps
in Writing
a Research
Identify
and narrow
your topic Paper
Determine
the purpose of and audience for
your paper
Locate
appropriate sources of information
Refine
the topic, if necessary
Steps in Writing a Research Paper
Write
a tentative thesis statement & brief outline
Take
research notes
Write
a first draft
Revise.
Revise. Revise.
Prepare
the final draft
Prepare
the bibliography
Locate Appropriate Sources of Information
 Print sources
• Books
Circulating
Reference
Reserve
Oversized
Atlases
Children’s
Paperbacks
Locate Appropriate Sources of Information
 Print sources
– Periodicals
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Journals
Locate Appropriate Sources of Information
 Non-print sources
– Audio-visual materials
– Interviews
– CD-ROM’s
– Databases Use this link to get to the LAMC
Library Database page. (Remember: to
access the databases from home, you
must use the passwords on the Library
Handout I gave you). Use EBSCOhost or
National Newspapers (ProQuest).
– Internet
What Is Documentation?
 In-text parenthetical citations indicate the
source of each piece of information used in
your paper
One expert states that “computer systems may soon be
the primary educational delivery method” in colleges and
universities (Polk 90).
 Readers can turn to the last page(s) of your
paper for your bibliography--publication
information on each source used
What Is Documentation?
 You must provide information about each
source used in your paper. For example, if
your source is a book, you must include
– Author
– Title
– Publication data (publisher, place published, year
published)
– Page numbers
To access EasyBib (for MLA) or BibMe (for
APA), use this link to the Learning Center.
How to create Works Cited or Reference page
To access EasyBib (for MLA) or BibMe (for
APA), use this link to the Learning Center.
To see the PowerPoint on how to format a
journal from the Library database, click here.
Why Do We Document?
 Readers may want to locate and use your
sources for further information
 Give credit to others for their work
 Distance yourself from opinions that are not
your own
 Avoid plagiarism!
When in doubt, DOCUMENT!
When Do We Document?
 Cite any fact, statistic, or information that is
specific to a single source, whether you use a
direct quotation or a paraphrase
 Cite any use of another writer’s exact words,
and use quotation marks
 Cite other writers’ opinions, whether you use
a direct quotation or a paraphrase
Documentation Styles
 MLA—Modern Language Association
 APA—American Psychological Association
 CBE/CSE—Council of Biology
Editors/Council of Science Editors
 Chicago—The Chicago Manual of Style
 Columbia—The Columbia Guide to Online
Style
Bibliography Cards
 Create a bibliography card for each source you
use—do it FIRST!
 Use a college handbook or style guide to format
bibliography cards
 Put cards aside (in a safe, safe place) until you
need to create your bibliography page
 When your paper is complete, simply alphabetize
the cards and type your bibliography
Sample Bibliography Card
Sidel, Ruth. On Her Own: Growing Up in the Shadow of the
American Dream. New York: Penguin, 1990.
Finding Print Sources
 On-line catalog—in library
Click on Internet Explorer—Library home page
3 ways of searching
title
must be spelled correctly
omit “a,” “an,” or “the” if first word of title
books sorted by date of publication
topic (keyword)
author
Finding Print Sources
 Citation information—found on Detail page
 Info given on author, title, copyright, location—Call
number
 Call number—number found on spine of book, indicates
where book is found in library
Additional Library Resources—Books On-Line
• E-Books
• In catalog, click on URL, which takes you to
NetLibrary
• Go to www.netlibrary.com
• Create a free account while on campus
• Gale Virtual Reference Library
• Need a password—Mission
To use resources
 On campus--no password is necessary
 At home--need Mission passwords (use the
handout I gave you or get the handout at the
Library Reference Desk)
Magazines and Journals
 EBSCOhost used most--entire article on line
 Current articles listed first
 Review abstract--summary of article
 Citation info--needed for Works Cited page
 Article can be emailed, saved, or printed
 User ID—Mission
password--la
HOMEWORK
Prepare draft of Research
review
Learning Center & Library
Web pages
(click on above links)
Magazines






Intended for general readers
Wide subject area
Authors not experts
Brief articles
Only reviewed by editor, not experts
Weekly, monthly
– ex: Time, NewYorker
Journals
 Intended for specialists
 Specific in focus
 Authors are experts
 Longer articles
 Peer reviewed, includes bibliography
 Monthly, quarterly
Ways to Use Sources
 Direct quotation with parenthetical citation
 Paraphrase with parenthetical citation
 Summary with parenthetical citation
Direct Quotation--MLA
 Author included in text
– According to Hofritz, “Some candidates are
unprepared to meet the requirements of political
office” (90).
 Author included in citation
– Another writer states, “Some candidates are
unprepared to meet the requirements of political
office” (Hofritz 90).
Paraphrase--MLA
 Hofritz, for example, believes that not all
candidates are prepared to hold political
offices (90).
Taking Reading Notes
 Use 4” x 6” or 5” x 8” index cards
 Take notes on each source, one card per
statement or fact or topic
 List author and topic on top of card
 Be sure to indicate whether information is a
quote, paraphrase, or summary
 Be SURE to note page number!
Sample Note Card
Berk
Treatment--Stimulants
“Researchers do not know precisely why stimulants are helpful.
Some speculate that they change the chemical balance in brain
regions that inhibit impulsiveness and hyperactivity, thereby
decreasing the child’s need to engage in off-task and self-stimulating
behavior.”
Direct quote, p. 360
Sample Works Cited Page
Zaiens 10
Works Cited
Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s
Development. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1982.
Ramirez, Anthony J., and Dorie Mathews. “Computer Groups Plan
Standards.” New York Times 14 Dec. 1993, late ed.: D5.
Stevens, Mark. “Low and Behold.” New Republic 24 Dec. 1990: 27-33.